A Fallen Leader
by Clexaordie
Summary: Clarke Griffin is the daughter of Chancellor Abigail Griffin, who is responsible for the death of Jake Griffin. Clarke is sent to the ground with 99 other delinquents, intent on being a good leader. But others have a different plan for her.
1. Chapter 1- To the Ground

_384 days. That's how long I have been stuck in this stupid cell that I don't belong in. I'm sorry, where are my manners? It's almost as if I've been locked in isolation for the past year and nineteen days. Let me give you some background._

 _My name is Clarke Griffin. Yes,_ that _Clarke Griffin. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, so let me answer the ones I can. I am locked up in the Skybox because I know things. At least I wasn't floated for it, like my dad. Jake Griffin learned that the Ark is running out of oxygen, and he tried to warn the rest of the Ark. Even though he didn't want me to because it was dangerous, I promised to help him. He was making a video message with me behind the camera when guards came storming in, the chancellor behind them. They grabbed my dad and smashed the camera. I tried to stop them but the chancellor held me back. Apparently my dad's best friend, Thelonious Jaha, learned of his plans and warned the council. My dad was arrested and floated two days later. I was placed in isolation at the age of sixteen for knowing too much. I have a few more weeks until I turn eighteen and get floated myself. That's pretty much all you need to know about me._

 _Oh, and one more thing. The chancellor is my mother, Abigail Griffin._

 _If you're reading this, it's because I'm_

The piece of charcoal in my hand smashes into dust as I use up the last bit of this charcoal stick.

"Damn it." I breathe, wiping my hands on my pants. Before I can pull up my mattress to reveal my stash, I hear heavy footsteps outside of my cell. _Guards_. Why are they here? It's not dinner time yet. And there seem to be more than usual. The door opens and two guards armed with shock batons enter, the echo of their boots loud in my usually silent cell.

"Prisoner 319, face the wall." The taller guard says sternly. I stand up but don't follow the rest of his instructions. "Prisoner 319–" The guard starts again, but I cut him off.

"What's going on? It's not my time yet. I still have two more weeks." I take a step back as the guard approaches me. "Please." I beg as he shoves me against the wall. I try to fight him, but he presses my face against the cool metal. I open my mouth to speak, but someone beats me to it.

"Clarke." I freeze at the familiar voice saying my name. I turn around slowly, the guard holding my arm tightly. He looks between me and the source of the voice warily, waiting for instructions. I clench my fists at the sight of the wide grin on her face. "Clarke." She says again, this time in greeting, as if she hadn't locked her own daughter up for more than a year.

"Chancellor Griffin." I meet my mother's gaze, struggling to keep my voice steady. If she's hurt by my formal interaction she doesn't show it. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She shakes her head sadly at my tone, taking a step forwards. I flinch, and the guard tightens his grip on my arm. My mother raises her hand, and the guard releases me, taking a step back. I cross my arms expectantly.

"We're saving you, Clarke. You and 99 other prisoners. We're sending you to the ground, to earth." She speaks quickly so I can't interrupt. I just laugh at her. I can't believe this.

"You're not saving me, you're sending us to our death." I glare at my mother, thinking about the reasoning behind this decision. Then it hits me. "The Ark is dying, isn't it? Dad was right. There really is something wrong with the oxygen, and no one can fix it. So you're sending juvenile delinquents, your own _daughter_ , to a radiation soaked planet so that _you_ can live!" I feel my face get redder as my voice gets louder. I take a step forwards, and before I can say anything else I feel a sharp prick on the back of my shoulder. I turn to see one of the guards holding a tranquilizer gun. I turn back to my mom just as I begin to fall forwards, unable to control my body. She catches me easily, holding me tightly to her chest. I want to move away, not wanting help from her, but I can't move. The last thing I hear before everything goes black is my mom's voice.

"This is for your own good, Clarke. You're a leader, they need you." She uses her fingertips to close my eyelids.

I wake up with a jolt. Everything around me is shaking. My eyes scan my surroundings quickly. Canvas rope holds me into a metal chair. Other kids are in the same situation. Some are talking and laughing, while others are looking around nervously. Some are unconscious like I was, probably having put up a good fight. I realize the ship we're in is already hurtling down to earth. A large screen in front of me lights up, and my mother's face appears. I don't pay attention to what she's saying; I'm too busy thinking about what will happen once we reach the ground.

"Fucking bitch!" Someone yells. People around me laugh. I can feel my face reddening.

"That means you too." I look up to see a boy with dark hair past his chin floating in front of me. I ignore his insult. He smiles, continuing. "Looks like your mom floated me after all."

"What are you doing? Go back to your seat before you die!" I reprimand, glaring at him. He only smirks.

"What's wrong, _Traitor_? Scared I'm going to die the same way your dad did?" He does a backflip in the air, earning a few hollers from nearby kids. I shake my head.

"I don't care if you die, _Spacewalker_." His smile grows.

"My name's Finn, but I like Spacewalker." He does another flip. Suddenly the drop ship shakes violently, sending Finn crashing into the ceiling.

"Finn!" I yell. "Finn, are you alright?" He floats down slowly, obviously trying to hide his pain.

"So you do care about me after all." I roll my eyes as he goes back to his seat, high fiving his friends. The shaking is growing, and I can feel my teeth vibrating. I look around to see some kids squeezing their eyes shut in fear. _Maybe mom's right_ , I think. _Maybe I can be a leader_. There's one final jolt before complete stillness.

"Listen. No machine hum." A boy across from me says.

"That's a first." His friend says. People begin to unbuckle their seat belts, standing on wobbly legs.

"The outer door is on the lower level. Let's go!" Everyone starts crowding their way down the ladder. I try to push past them

"No. We can't just open the doors." I make my way to the door, where there's a boy who looks older wearing a guard's uniform.

"Hey, back it up, guys." The boy says, obviously trying to take control. I go up to him.

"The air could be toxic." He shakes his head. I see Finn pushing through the crowd, coming to stand next to this older boy.

"The mini Chancellor here seems to think she's in charge." Before I can open my mouth to argue, I hear a small voice behind me.

"Bellamy?" A girl my age steps out of the crowd, running up to the curly haired guard, who's apparently named Bellamy.

"My god, look how big you are." Bellamy says, grinning at the girl. She looks him up and down.

"What the hell are you wearing? A guards uniform?" So maybe Bellamy isn't a guard.

"I borrowed it to get on the drop ship. Someone has to keep an eye on you." He laughs. Whispers begin to circle around that this girl is Octavia Blake, Bellamy's sister.

"No one has a sister." I muse aloud. The girl, Octavia, glares at me. Bellamy puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's give them something else to remember you by." He smiles down at his sister who looks at him curiously.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years." Octavia's eyes light up at this. Bellamy opens the door, and Octavia steps out onto the ground. Everyone is watching her. She inhales deeply and then exhales. Nothing happens. She turns to us with a huge grin on her face then looks up at the sky.

"We're back, bitches!" She yells proudly. Everyone cheers, running out of the drop ship. I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. Even though I was at the front of the crowd, I am the last out of the drop ship. I look up at the tall trees, smiling as fresh air hits me, the sound of kids cheering all around me. I hear someone next to me and I look down. Bellamy is looking at me curiously.

"So you're Chancellor Griffin's daughter?" He asks. I look at him suspiciously.

"Yeah," I say, crossing my arms, "what about it?"

"I think you know." Before I can respond, I feel something hard hit the back of my head. I crumple to the ground. The last thing I see are Bellamy's boots as he nudges my head with his boot. I close my eyes, letting the pain take over.


	2. Chapter 2- Bargaining

The first thing I notice when I become conscious is the throbbing pain in the back of my head. It takes me a while before I remember that someone hit me, knocking me out. The second thing I notice is the fact that my hands are tied behind my back. I groan, moving my sore neck from side to side.

"Finally, the princess is awake." I open my eyes to see Bellamy's face inches from mine. I narrow my eyes.

"Bellamy, what is this?" I growl, tugging at my restraints. Bellamy rolls his eyes.

"Guess." He says with a shrug. I close my eyes in frustration.

"I don't know." He laughs.

"You don't know why I kidnapped the chancellor's daughter?" I flinch as Bellamy taps my forehead. "Why don't you use that big head of yours and think about it." I open my eyes.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, big guy, but my mom doesn't care about me. She sent me down here, which also means that there isn't much you can do to her." I glare at him, confident that I have foiled his plans.

"Oh but Princess, that's where you come in." I clench my jaw at the nickname Bellamy has given me.

"I told you, she doesn't care about me." I look down, trying not show how much it hurts me.

"Well, you're wrong." Bellamy stands up, stretching. "A few hours ago, while you were still napping, we received our first message from the Ark." I stare at him. The radio works! He doesn't see my surprised face. "And what is the first thing we hear from our home that we were just kicked out of? The chancellor. She was frantic. 'Clarke? Clarke can you hear me? Clarke, answer me.'" My face reddens. As much as I hate my mother, I can't stand people mocking and insulting her.

"What did you say in response?" I ask, trying to sound calm.

"I told her I killed you." My eyes widen and I try to break free. Bellamy laughs at my reaction.

"Calm down, no one has said anything yet. Maybe silence will make them think we're all dead." I scoff at this reasoning.

"You do know they can monitor each of us with our bracelets, right?"

"About that." Bellamy holds up his bare wrist. That's when I realize that the only thing rubbing against my wrists are the rope binding them together. I curse silently.

"How many?" I mutter angrily. The fact that my mom probably thinks I'm dead sinks in slowly.

"Twenty four and counting." Bellamy smiles cockily. I groan.

"You're an idiot, you know that? You're killing us all." Before Bellamy can respond Finn climbs the ladder into the second level of the drop ship. He's holding a big black box. _The radio_.

"The chancellor is talking again." Finn reports, bringing the radio to Bellamy. It crackles.

"Come on, Clarke. I can't lose you too." I'm shocked at how desperate my mom sounds. I realize I need to say something.

"Mom! Mom, can you hear me?" I yell, hoping the radio will catch my voice. Bellamy and Finn laugh.

"Nice try, Princess." Bellamy crouches in front of me again, this time with the radio. "You see this red button? I need to be pressing it in order for anyone on the Ark to hear your screams, and that's not going to happen. Not yet, anyways." I glare at him, and before he moves away I spit in his face. He yells, jumping away from me. Finn runs over, slapping me in the face.

"Bitch! What'd you do that for, huh?" I roll my eyes, wincing at the stinging pain. Bellamy grabs Finn's arm, pulling him away.

"Hey, Finn no. She's not worth it." Bellamy looks at me. "I'm gonna get some food. Keep an eye on her."

Finn takes a seat across from me. I glare at him and he glares back. I begin to form a plan.

"I need to go to the bathroom." I smile sweetly as Finn's eyes widen. He quickly masks his panic.

"Okay, fine." Finn gets up and unties me from the chair, keeping my hands tied. He takes me outside, roughly pushing me every time I stop to look around. He leads me behind a bush, untying my hands and stepping back expectantly. I almost laugh.

"You're kidding me, right? I'm not going in front of you!" Finn crosses his arms.

"Well, I'm not leaving you alone." He takes a step forward menacingly.

"I don't expect you to." I respond. "Can you at least get a girl to watch me?" Finn thinks about it, then nods. As soon as he disappears I make a run for it. Immediately I almost fall because of the pain in my head. I definitely have a concussion. I regain my balance and continue running, not sure where I'm going. Suddenly I hit something hard and fall back onto my butt. Thinking I've hit a tree, I look up. Bellamy is glaring down at me with his arms crossed.

"Where do you think you're going?" I scramble to my feet, but before I can turn and run Bellamy grabs my hair, pulling me back. "Why are your hands untied? Collins!" He drags me back to the drop ship. I try to make eye contact with someone for help, but no one is daring to look at me. Finn runs over as Bellamy shoves me up the ladder. I hear them below me.

"What the hell, Collins?"

"She needed to go to the bathroom! I didn't want to leave her alone, so I went to find a girl."

"And by doing that you left her alone, idiot." Bellamy sighs loudly. "Find me John Murphy." I hear Finn run out as Bellamy climbs the ladder. He grabs my arm, pinning me against the wall.

"Come on, Bellamy." I plead as he ties my hands. "You don't have to do this. I can help you!" He scoffs.

"How, by floating us all? I don't think so." I struggle as Bellamy pushes me in a chair, tying my arms and legs to it. I hear footsteps and look up to see Finn and another boy climbing the ladder.

"There you are." Bellamy says as he finishes tying the final knot. "Murphy, you're my new second. Collins, I need you to gather a hunting party. Our people are getting hungry." Finn looks like he wants to protest, but he only nods and descends again. I look at Murphy. He looks scarier than Finn. He catches me eyeing him.

"What are you looking at, Princess?" That nickname seems to have stuck. Murphy takes a step towards me, but Bellamy stops him.

"Don't let her get to you." I smirk, knowing it's that easy. Bellamy grabs the radio, then gives it to Murphy. "I need you to talk to the Ark." Murphy looks at him.

"Me? Why can't you do it?" Bellamy runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Because I am a wanted man up there. I asked you to do this because I thought I could trust you. Am I wrong?" Murphy shakes his head. "Good. Try to get them on your side." Bellamy suggests as Murphy brings the radio closer to him, pressing the red button.

"H-hello?" Murphy suddenly sounds innocent and scared. "Is anyone there?" We all seem to be holding our breath in anticipation. The radio begins to crackle.

"Hello? This is Chancellor Abigail Griffin. Who am I speaking to?" My heart begins to beat faster at the sound of her voice. Bellamy smiles, his plan working.

"This is John Murphy." Murphy makes his voice waver.

"Murphy? But we lost signals on your bracelet. We thought you were dead." This is the voice of Sinclair, the head engineer.

"Uh… I guess it broke somehow. The past few days have been pretty rough." Bellamy nods at Murphy in approval.

"Murphy, you said your bracelet is not working but you're fine." This is my mom speaking again, and I know what she is about to say. "Is Clarke Griffin…?" Murphy looks at Bellamy who shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Chancellor, but Clarke is dead." Before Murphy can say anymore I respond quickly myself.

"Mom! Mom, I'm right here! I'm fine, mom. I'm okay!" Bellamy clamps his hand over my mouth before I can say anymore, but I know it's too late. He grabs the radio from Murphy.

"Clarke? I thought you were dead." I hear a sob escape the radio. I try to say something but Murphy comes over with a piece of cloth, gagging me.

"Chancellor Griffin, this is Bellamy Blake. Your daughter is fine, but she won't be if you do exactly as I say." I glare at Murphy, who has his hand on my shoulder in warning.

"Bellamy Blake." My mom's voice becomes cold. "So that's where you are. Thelonious Jaha is dead because of you." I gasp into my gag. Thelonious, the past chancellor and my godfather, is dead. I look at Bellamy with a newfound hatred, but he looks down, almost ashamed.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I had to find a way down here." They seem to have forgotten about me. I let out a muffled yell, successfully drawing the attention back to me.

"Chancellor Griffin–"

"Blake, if you lay a hand on my daughter, I swear I will kill you myself." I almost smile. That's the most affection she has showed towards me in more than a year. Bellamy shakes his head.

"The thing is, Chancellor, you're in no position to make threats. We are hundreds of thousands of miles away from each other, and I have your daughter." Bellamy looks almost relaxed. God, I want to punch him in the face. I want to tell my mom that I'm okay.

"What do you want?" I can imagine her angry face now. I've seen it a lot.

"I want to be pardoned of all charges, and I want you to send supplies down to earth, but no other people." He's crazy. Bellamy Blake is crazy.

"You know I can't do that, Blake. You killed someone. And besides, we need to send people down if the earth is survivable. The Ark isn't going to last much longer." Bellamy shakes his head sadly, but I know he's only pretending to be sad. He looks at Murphy, who nods. Murphy takes my gag off, and before I can realize what he's doing he stabs my arm. I scream, first in pain and then in frustration for having the reaction they wanted.

"Clarke!" My mother's voice wavers through the radio.

"I warned you, Chancellor." Bellamy says. "The earth may be survivable for us, but I can't say the same for your daughter." I hear heavy breathing on the other side.

"Fine, I'll get you what you want." I can feel tears behind my eyes.

"Mom, no! You can't do that!" Murphy presses his hand into my wound, and I scream through clenched teeth.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Bellamy mocks. "You have ensured your daughters safety for at least one more month." I stare at him. One more month? He can't decide my fate like this. He turns the radio off, silencing my mom's pleas to leave me alone.

"You're being more help than I thought." Bellamy says, crouching before me. I'm sweating, trying to ignore the pain in my arm. Before I can spit in his face again we hear yelling outside. It gets louder until a bunch of people burst into the drop ship. Finn pops his head through the hatch to our level.

"Incoming." Finn says quickly, before ducking out of sight. Three boys come up the ladder, two carrying the third, who has part of a spear in his stomach. I gasp.

"Jasper Jordan." One of the boys says, gesturing to the unconscious one. I recognize the other boy, Monty Green. He's the son and apprentice of the medic on the Ark, Hannah Green. I hope he can save Jasper.

"What did this to him?" I ask, trying to get a good look at him from where I'm tied up.

"Not what, who." Finn says, climbing up the ladder. Bellamy walks to him.

"What are you talking about, Finn?" Bellamy asks quietly, but we all hear him. Everyone who has just joined us looks terrified. Monty is the first to speak up.

"The grounders did it. We're not alone down here."


	3. Chapter 3- Green Eyed Grounder

At first we all thought Jasper was going to die, but with Monty's magic touch he lives, and heals surprisingly quickly. Finn found some kind of special seaweed with healing powers. Now Jasper is walking around, albeit stiffly.

It's been a week, and my situation hasn't changed much. They found a way to let me go to the bathroom. Some mousy girl named Monroe comes with me. I haven't tried to escape again, and I won't until I have a plan. Bellamy is mad that we haven't received any supplies, but my mom says that it's just taking them time to prepare it all. I haven't been allowed to talk with her, and she doesn't try to talk to me after they hurt me. They haven't touched me since, though, so maybe they're bluffing.

After three kids died because of grounders, Bellamy has decided to build a wall. They are using scrap metal from the drop ship and nearby fallen trees. I would say 'we', but I'm not helping because I'm stuck in the drop ship. At least I'm not tied to a chair anymore. Now I'm just locked up in the top level. I had Jasper as a roommate for a while, but now I'm alone again.

I'm snapped out of my daydream as I hear the hatch unlock and creak open. It's Monroe with some berries. After I eat them she lets me down the ladder. We go outside and I go behind a bush and quickly relieve myself. On the way back I look at the ground, kicking rocks. I see a piece of scrap metal and kick that. That's when it hits me. I can use the scrap metal as a knife. I bend down, picking up the metal.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Monroe asks me cautiously. I hide my new knife in my sleeve.

"I just dropped my last berry." I pretend to put one in my mouth. Monroe rolls her eyes.

"You're disgusting." She says as walks me back to the drop ship. She's never actually touched me or used force. I appreciate that, but I can't think about it now.

When we enter the drop ship I pretend to cough before I ascend the ladder, giving myself time to slip the knife out from my sleeve. I turn around and stab Monroe in the stomach. Before she can scream I cover her mouth with my hand and lead her gently to the ground. I rip off pieces of my shirt, using one piece as a gag and the others to tie her hands to the ladder.

"I'm sorry." I whisper into her ear. "You don't deserve this." She glares at me in response. "You won't die." I promise. "Monty will save you." Before I waste anymore time I exit the drop ship. I look around, glad to see everyone working. I slip behind the drop ship and leave quietly.

When I feel that I'm safe distance from camp I begin to run. Like before I have no idea where I'm going, but I won't let that stop me. I run until I feel stitches in my side. I look around and see that I am near a creek. I am worried that it is too open and someone will see me, but I'm too thirsty to care. I run to the creek, not caring that my pants are getting wet as I kneel to drink. Before I can sigh in relief I hear branches snapping behind me. Damn it, they've found me already. I spin around, expecting to see Bellamy or Murphy. What I see is much worse.

In front of me are three horses with people on them. I've never seen a horse in person before; they're bigger than I expected. There's a woman, and two men behind her, so she must be in charge. She slides off of her horse, never taking her eyes off of me. She takes a step towards me, and I realize that I'm frozen in fear.

"Chon yu bilaik?" The woman asks. I stare at her, not understanding. "Disha ste Trikru."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying." I look up at the two men still on horses. One is holding a bow and arrow, and the other is holding a spear. Both of their weapons are aimed at me.

"Skaikru." The woman snarls, baring her teeth. I turn to run, but I don't even make it five feet when the woman tackles me to the ground. I feel my cheek scrape against a rock. She pulls me up by my hair, dragging me towards the horses.

"Please." I beg. "You don't have to do this."

"Shof op." The woman grunts. I assume she is telling me to shut up, but I don't. Instead I try a different tactic.

"I'm running away." I say, continuing to struggle against her strong hold. "I am no danger to you."

"Running from your own people?" The woman spits in my ear. I stop struggling in surprise. She speaks English. Before I can respond she begins tying my hands behind my back.

Suddenly I see the other grounder's shoulders stiffen. There are voices coming from the woods behind us.

"Clarke? Clarke, I know you're out here somewhere!" It's Bellamy. I surprise myself by sighing in relief. I would rather get tortured by him than these grounders. Besides, things might work out if we have a common enemy.

"Bellamy! Over here!" The grounder woman quiets me by stuffing a piece of cloth in my mouth. I struggle as she throws me over the back of her horse. I can hear Bellamy and others running through the woods. The other horses begin to move as the woman climbs on hers, securing me between her and the horse's neck. I try to yell, but the cloth in my mouth absorbs all of the noise.

For the second time in the past week something hits the back of my head. I feel like I have a permanent concussion. The last thing I see before we enter the woods is Bellamy, Murphy, and Monroe running into the clearing, staring after the grounders as they ride away with me as their new prisoner.

I am unlucky enough to stay conscious during the ride. It feels like days, but it's probably only been an hour or two. I try to keep my eyes open so I can see where we're going, but the motion of the horse sends waves of pain through my head, making me nauseous. After riding for a few more hours I feel the horses slowing down. I lift my head high enough to see that we're approaching more grounders. These ones seem to be guarding the entrance to a village. There are canvas tents and people moving around inside of the fence.

"Chon ste disha?" One of the guards asks, gesturing to me. The woman jumps off of her horse, dragging me with her. I groan as she holds me upright by the back of my jacket.

"A honon gon Heda." She responds, handing the reigns to the guard. I hear the word 'Skaikru' muttered again as I am pushed into the village. That must be what they call us. My arms are starting to ache after being tied for so long.

I am dragged into a large tent and forced onto my knees. Another grounder comes in, but the woman sends him out with the order "ge Heda." Heda must be their leader. A few minutes later a woman comes striding in with another woman behind her. The second woman has dark skin and short hair. She goes to stand by the large chair in the center of the tent as the first woman settles into it. I stare at the first woman, 'Heda', and am surprised by what I see.

She can't be much older than me. She's wearing thick dark clothes, almost resembling armor. Her long brown hair is worn down, save a few braids. I can't help but admire her beauty. I pause at her eyes. Surrounded by black paint, her green eyes sparkle with power and curiosity. I don't look away as she looks me up and down.

"What is the meaning of this, Anya?" Their leader speaks English, addressing the grounder who took me. I now know her name is Anya. She holds my hair tightly as she responds, making me wince.

"I found her by the river, Heda. She is Skaikru." I feel helpless as I kneel in the dirt. All I can do is glare as the leader stands and approaches me.

"Who are you and why are you here?" She asks, gently pulling out my gag. I spit on the ground, trying to get the taste of that dirty cloth out of my mouth.

"I don't have to tell you anything." I spit again, this time aiming for the woman's boots. My head snaps to the side as I am slapped. Anya takes a step back, giving me and her leader some space.

"You are in no position to argue with me, _Skai Gada_." She says dangerously. I roll my eyes.

"My name is Clarke, and I was running away before your servant here grabbed me." I see Anya take a step towards me angrily, but the leader stops her with a look. The woman standing by the throne steps forward.

"Heda, she is obviously lying. She wouldn't be running away from her own people." I scoff. They don't know anything about me.

"Indra, shof op." The leader silences the woman, holding up her hand. Indra resumes her previous position. "She has a point, though." She says, turning back to me. "Why are you running from your own people?"

"I don't see why you care." I say, earning another slap.

"You and your people killed almost an entire village when you landed! I should kill you and wipe the rest out right now!" I stare into the woman's calm but angry eyes. When I don't say anything she pulls out a large hunting knife. I try to hide my fear, but she sees my eyes widen.

"I was running away because they were keeping me hostage, okay? Please don't kill me." I beg for the second time today. The woman only smiles.

"I am not going to kill you." She says while slowly turning the knife in her hand. "If your own people were keeping you hostage, that means that you are very important." I frown, knowing I've already given too much information.

"So what are you going to do with me?" I ask, lifting my chin and trying to sound brave.

"We're going to use you, Clarke." She puts away the knife. "You're my hostage now."


	4. Chapter 4- Lying Savior

_I'm running through the forest. I don't know who's following me; I have too many enemies. I can feel fear gripping my heart, causing it to beat fast. I run into a clearing, I'm facing the edge of a cliff. I hear footsteps approaching. I know my only escape is to jump. I take a deep breath, but before I can take a step forwards strong arms wrap around my torso, pulling me away from the ledge. I know I should struggle, but I feel safe in these arms. I don't know who it is. I try to turn around, but I feel sluggish. Is it my mother? Has the Ark come down to Earth? She's the only one who makes me feel safe._

" _It's okay, you're safe now." The voice does not belong to my mother. It's sharper, younger. I manage to look up at the person holding me, and I gasp softly._

 _It's the commander, smiling down at me. She doesn't look like she did when I first met her. She's not wearing any war makeup, and eyes are round and innocent. I open my mouth to speak, but before a can she stops me._

" _Shh…. Go to sleep." I can't protest as she uses her soft fingertips to close my eyelids._

I wake up with sweat dripping down my face. I move my hands up to wipe away the sweat, but I stop when the rope binding my hands chafe my wrists. Sighing, I push them back closer to where the rope is tied securely to a pole in a ground.

I've been in this tent for a few days, and I'm growing restless. A young grounder boy brings me food twice a day, but my friendly words hit ears that don't seem to understand English. Anya has come in a few times, but she just stares at me angrily. I don't know what I've done to upset her, but I'm glad the commander has given her orders not to hurt me.

I've learned that her name is Lexa. Almost everyone calls her Heda, but one night I heard her and Anya talking outside my tent, and she referred to her as Lexa. I don't understand their relationship, but I know it's personal.

I look up as I hear the thick cloth used as a door flap open. Anya walks in, holding an apple. I smile at her as she approaches me. This is how it goes every time. I act nice, and she ignores me.

"Good morning, Anya. How are you this morning?" Anya ignores me, taking a big bite of her apple instead. I know she's taunting me. While I am fed, it's always just enough to keep me weak. She's standing a few feet away from me, and I can see blood spattered on her white shirt.

"Did you go on an early morning killing spree?" I ask, wincing at my own comment when I think about the rest of the hundred. She takes another bite of her apple, and then throws it in the dirt. My eyes follow it as it rolls away from her. "You ruined a perfectly good apple!"

"Shut up." Anya growls, closing the distance between us. She grabs my hair, pulling me to my feet. I can see the resentment in her eyes as she holds me close to her chest.

I begin to panic, unsuccessfully trying to pull away from her. "Hey, you can't hurt me, remember? The commander said you couldn't." Anya only tightens her grip on my hair.

"I'm sure we have different definitions of hurt." Before I can protest she pulls out a knife. I close my eyes, hoping my death will be quick. I'm surprised when she uses the knife to cut the rope around my wrists. I rub them gingerly before she grabs my arms and forces them behind my back, tying them once again.

Anya leads me out of the tent, and I squint as the sun hits my eyes. I've been in the dark for so long. I struggle as she pushes me towards the commander's tent. I'm too weak for my struggling to help me, but it makes it harder for her. I smile smugly but that smile is wiped off my face when I'm pushed into the tent.

I'm not sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Standing next to Lexa, large arms crossed, is Bellamy. Beside him is Finn. I feel my stomach drop as Bellamy smiles at me. His face then changes to one of mock concern.

"Clarke, are you alright?" I pull my bound hands into my chest, stepping back as Bellamy steps forward.

"Get away from me." I hiss. I take another step back, bumping into Anya, who grabs the back of my shirt roughly.

"See? She doesn't want to be with you." Anya says. I roll my eyes, biting my tongue to keep back a witty remark.

"It doesn't look like she wants to be with you, either." Finn responds, looking pointedly at my bound hands. Anya's grip on my shirt tightens, the collar getting uncomfortably tight.

"Come here, Clarke." Bellamy holds out his arms, expecting me to go to him as if I want nothing more than to return to him. I scoff, glaring at him.

"What part of 'get away from me' don't you understand?" Bellamy's eyes darken dangerously. Then Lexa surprises me by speaking for the first time since I entered the tent.

"Go to him, Clarke." I glare at Lexa, but my mind drifts to my dream, and I remember the feeling of being safe when in her arms. I take a step forward tentatively, and Bellamy grabs my arms surprisingly gently.

"Have they hurt you?" He asks in what I know is fake worry.

"Of course they hurt me." I snap. "But not as much as you did." I pull away from grasp, but his grip tightens.

"Come on, we're leaving." Bellamy growls. Before he can pull me out of the tent, Lexa grabs my other arm.

"These are not the terms we agreed to." Out of the corner of my eye I see both Finn and Anya reach for weapons.

"I came for her, and now that I have her we're leaving." Bellamy tries pulling me away, but two grounders step into the tent, blocking the exit.

Bellamy tries to subtly reach for his gun, but Lexa is too quick. She pulls me out of Bellamy's arms and into hers. I hear the sound of swords being drawn. One of them is Lexa's and I feel cool metal resting on my neck.

"We brought you here to prove that she is alive, which, as you can see, she is. That can change very quickly." I feel the sword bite my skin, followed by the feeling of warm blood trickling down my chest, wetting my shirt. Bellamy puts his hands up, nodding to Finn to do the same. Lexa pulls the sword away from my neck, but doesn't release me.

"You know the agreements." Lexa says so sharply that I shiver. "We will bring her to you when you are ready to comply. Now leave, before I change my mind."

I watch as Finn and Bellamy reluctantly leave, followed closely by the grounder guards. I expect Lexa to hand me to Anya, who seems to have been placed in charge of me. Maybe that's why she hates me.

Instead Lexa grabs my bound hands roughly, pulling me into her thrown. Anya comes over with more rope, and the tie my arms separately to each armrest. The same is done to my legs. Anya steps back, admiring her handiwork. Lexa is very close to me, almost kneeling on lap. She leans over me with one hand on an armrest and the other stroking my hair. I can't seem to remove my gaze from her green eyes.

"Um… Don't you need to sit here?" I stutter, confused as to why I'm in her thrown. She smiles, moving her hand to my cheek.

"Don't worry about me." _It's_ _ **you**_ _you need to worry about_ , she seems to say. I know I shouldn't ask her about what's happening because that's exactly what she wants, but I can't help it.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask, trying to keep my voice from wavering. I notice Anya unfolding a piece of cloth, revealing knifes of all shapes and sizes. "What do you want?"

"I want you to tell me exactly why those boys seem so keen on rescuing you." Lexa moves to the knives, continuing to talk as she picks up different ones up as if testing them. "I saw the way that older one looked at you. He doesn't care for you, he just wants you alive." I snort, thinking about how she basically just called Bellamy a bad actor.

"And if I don't tell you? You can't kill me. You need my alive as much as they do." I remind her.

Lexa returns to my side, a knife now in one hand. She uses the other to hold my chin, gently at first, then roughly as she forces my gaze upon hers.

"You're right, I can't kill you." My heart almost stops at her next words. "But I can make you wish I would."


	5. Chapter 5- Returning Home

"Clarke. Clarke. Clarke, wake up!" The voice of Lexa causes me to groan and try to move away in my dreamy state. Opening my eyes, I remember that I'm still tied in Lexa's throne. I groan again.

"Oh, hey. I'd love to help you with your interrogation, but I'm a little tied up right now." I say, pulling on my restraints. Lexa slaps me, hard. I've been stuck in this chair for two days, and I am starting to get very sore.

"You know, Clarke. I'm getting very tired of your behavior." Lexa sighs, drawing a knife from her boot. I swallow, trying not to show fear.

"Well, _Lexa_ , I'm actually quite enjoying myself, and I really have you to thank." I smile, earning another slap from the other side. Lexa begins twirling her knife in her hands.

I have learned that Lexa really loves her knife. She's been using it to make long cuts all over my body. Shallow ones on my arms and legs, and deeper ones on my stomach. She hasn't moved above my chest yet, which I'm grateful for. I haven't told her anything, only responding to her questions with sarcasm, something she does not appreciate. But I refuse to give up. I keep thinking about my mother. I'm sure Bellamy is telling her that he still has me. I hope that those on the Ark are making plans to come down to Earth. I know that if my mother knew, she would rescue me in a heartbeat. I don't know if I want her to come here, though.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Lexa swiping her knife by my face, narrowly missing my nose.

"I asked you a question." Lexa snarls. "Where did you come from? How many of you are there?" I roll my eyes.

"One question at a time, please." Lexa stabs the knife into my thigh, and I clench my teeth to keep from screaming. She smiles at my obvious pain. She pulls it out slowly, and this time I can't help but yell out.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Lexa mocks. I shake my head, my dirty hair hiding the pain on my face.

"No, I'm fine." I grunt. "But your pride must be hurt. I mean, you've been torturing me for what, two days? And you've learned nothing." Lexa smiles, and I know I've crossed a line. She wipes my blood off of the knife on her pants, and then cuts me across the face. I gasp, surprised.

"You will tell me what I want." Lexa drags her finger along my new cut, smearing the blood. "And I will do whatever it takes." With that she turns and exits the tent. I sigh in relief.

The next few hours I drift in and out of consciousness. The knife wound on my thigh continues to bleed, and I know if it's not treated soon, I'll either die of blood loss or infection.

I jump in the chair when cold water hits my face. I opened my eyes to see Anya glaring at me. I draw in a breath, preparing to aggravate her.

"Anya! How are you? I've missed you." I smile as Anya begins untying my wrists and ankles. She pulls me to my feet and I sway, almost falling over. Anya smiles.

"What, no fighting?" She whispers into my ear as she reties my hands behind my back. I grimace.

"I want to, but I just don't think it would be a fair fight." I wince as Anya pushes me out of the tent. Two more grounders with weapons fall into step behind us as she leads me towards the woods. "Wait, what's happening? Where are you taking me?" I try to twist out of Anya's grip, but she's too strong.

"The Commander has decided to try another tactic." Anya says vaguely.

"Oh yeah, because she sucks at interrogating?" I quip, feeling triumphant. Suddenly I'm on my back, struggling to breath as Anya sitting on my stomach. She's holding a knife inches from my eyes.

"Don't every talk about Heda that way ever again. I don't want to ruin your pretty face more than it already is." I thought I was scared of Anya before, but the look in her eyes puts new fear into my heart. I cover it quickly.

"Get off me." I mumble as she pulls me to my feet, pushing me forward roughly. "What do you mean by another tactic? Where are we going?" Anya sighs.

"We're taking you back to your people. If you won't tell us anything, we have no use for you." I begin to struggle fervently.

"No, you can't do that. Please don't. They'll kill me. Please!" Anya only smirks "If you give me back, you'll never learn anything." I try as a last result.

"Don't worry about us. We have someone else to tell us everything." I stop walking.

"What? Who?" I don't get an answer. I see the drop ship looming ahead of us, and I dig my heels to try to slow us down. As we enter the clearing, I see that there is a wall around our camp.

I hear the sound of multiple guns locked and trained on us. When did they get more guns? Did the Ark send them supplies? I would've known about it, Lexa would have told me if another pod came down to Earth.

"We bring you Clarke kom Skaikru!" Anya yells. She throws me to the ground without untying my hands. I watch as her and the other grounders turn and run back into the woods. Slowly I turn my attention to the camp. There's an opening to the wall I didn't see before. I feel large hands on my shoulders, pulling me to my feet. I look up to see Bellamy smiling down at me.

"Long time no see, princess. Oh, and look. They delivered you tied with a bow and everything." He smirks, grabbing the rope binding my wrists. I kick him in the shin. While he's momentarily distracted, I turn and begin to run into the forest. Before I take five steps, a bullet buries itself into the tree next to my head. I freeze as Bellamy grabs me again.

"I wouldn't run if I were you. We have a lot of catching up to do, and I'm sure your mother will be ecstatic to see you safe and sound." I don't struggle at the mention of my mother. I let Bellamy walk me into camp. I ignore all of the eyes on me as I'm led into the drop ship. I'm taken to where I was held before, the top level of the drop ship. I wince as Bellamy takes off the rope that has been chafing my wrists. Before I can rub them, he grabs one, taking a seatbelt attached to the wall and tying the other end to my wrist. He does the same to my other wrist and both of my ankles so I end up spread out like a star. I try to fight the whole time he does this, but I'm too weak. As Bellamy stands back to admire his work, I speak.

"How is my mother? Does she know I'm alive? Why–" Before I can say anything else, Bellamy picks up a pipe from the ground. I close my eyes, knowing what's going to happen. He hits me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I gasp for breath. He does this until even he's out of breath. He doesn't say anything after, he just leaves, locking the hatch behind him. I let out a scream of frustration before I let succumb to the pain, letting it turn my world black.


End file.
